The Election Behind The Election

The national news media seems to be making money effortlessly covering the Donald Trump debacle. First, it was how could the GOP nominate someone so patently unqualified (the press screamed). Next, how could Trump say such outrageous things. Then came, Trump will “pivot” and become a more conventional and more credible candidate. Now the media is fixated on which GOP “down ballot” candidates Trump will endorse. Hmmm.

If one wondered whether Donald Trump was good news, the wondering should be over. Trump is sizzle, and sizzle sells. And lest anyone forget, the national media is made up of businesses, and businesses need to make money.

Regrettably there is another national debate, yet to make the front pages. For the past six years, there has been a just say “no” Congress which has blocked most of President Obama’s nominations, leaving key departments without a permanent head. This Congress has also disgraced itself with wholesale avoidance of acting upon Judicial nominations (including the nomination of Merritt Garland for the Supreme Court). And at one point allow the Government to be shut down.

More mystifying has been the disregard for public safety. The Congress’ abdication of any responsible debate over gun safety despite a long list of tragic shootings with freely available weapons seems over the top. Now there is a new dysfunction, one that could have even greater consequences, namely Ebola and Zika.

Congress begrudgingly allocated less funding than requested to fight Ebola. Health officials did not want Ebola to become an epidemic in the US.) Congress has now chosen to ignore Zika forcing the CDC to redirect unused Ebola funding to fight Zika. Congress adjourned for its summer recess (read to free up legislators for election campaigning) without taking serious action on fighting the Zika outbreak. Neglect bordering on malfeasance comes to mind.

Congress’ inactivity showcases the current Republican Party’s inability to lead and respond to “real work” differently from “political” work. Fighting diseases like Ebola and Zika can only be done effectively by the Federal Government as funded by Congress. Nominating and confirming appointees to the Supreme Court (or any other Department or Court) can only be done by Congress.

Over these same six years, Congress has found time, however, to pass legislation repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood without offering any superior routes to providing these services to those now receiving them. This list could go on and on.

The missing news story, the election behind the election, involves the “down ticket” elections. The party in power must take the responsibility for non-performance.

Voters must consider Congress’ performance and use their votes to return control to the Democrat Party with the mandate to get the Federal Government functioning again.

There is no guarantee that the Democrats can do better but there is plenty of evidence that the current GOP can’t lead. The least productive election outcome would be to maintain Congress under GOP control with a Democrat President.

The new media needs to wake up and begin reporting on these “down ticket” races. While each of these races may lack sizzle individually and therefore, be far less “news worthy”, a change of Congressional leadership to the Democrats could be the biggest story in six years.